U.S. U-20 WNT wins CONCACAF U-20 Championship 1-0 vs. Canada

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team came out on top as champions of the 2015 CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship after a 1-0 win over long-time rival Canada.

The U.S. will now look ahead to the 2016 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea, where Canada and Mexico will remain stiff competition after both teams’ clinched berths to next year’s tournament by receiving second- and third-place in the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship.

The CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship title is the fourth straight for the USA and fifth overall. U.S. forward Mallory Pugh took home the tournament’s Golden Ball (best player) and Golden Boot (most goals scored) awards after scoring seven goals and captaining the squad throughout the competition.

+Read: USWNT defeats China PR 2-0 in Arizona on Victory Tour

After an early back-and-forth, the U.S. bossed the opening 45 minutes, although nothing broke the USA’s way on the offensive end despite a number of close chances, the best of which fell to Ashley Sanchez. Canada’s defense decided to bring the ball back to goalkeeper, Lysianne Proulx, but the speed of Sanchez proved to be difficult to reckon with. As Proulx looked for a teammate, Sanchez got a piece of her attempted pass, sending the ball toward goal, but it skimming inches outside the far post.

The second half proved much the same although each team had its chances. But it was the U.S. that prevailed thanks to a goalkeeping mistake in the 72nd minute. Proulx received a back pass with Sanchez closing in. Trying to get rid of the ball, Proulx mishit the ball, weakly hitting it toward the top of the box, where a speedy Sanchez intercepted the pass and slotted the ball straight past a diving Proulx to score the title clenching goal.

Additional Notes:

• This is USA’s fourth-straight CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship crown.
• Forward Mallory Pugh won the Golden Boot as the best overall player of the tournament.
• Pugh also earned the Golden Ball award for scoring the most goals in the tournament with seven goals. The U.S. has earned the majority of Golden Boot awards in the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship with Kelly Wilson (2002), Kerri Hanks (2004), Kelley O’Hara and Michelle Enyeart (2008), Sydney Leroux (2010) and McKenzie Meehan (2014) all receiving the honor.
• Goalkeeper, Rose Chandler, won the Golden Glove for being the best goalkeeper of the tournament, collecting three-straight shutouts in the final group game, semifinal and final.
• The USA has scored the most in the tournament with 22.
• The U.S. was the only team to score on Canada, which had kept four straight clean sheets heading into the tournament final.
• The U.S. has faced Canada five times in the Championship final, garnering a 3-2-0 record.
• The U-20 WNT currently holds a 20-game win streak; last losing in 2008 against Canada.

– U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team Match Report –

Match: U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team vs. Canada
Date: Dec.13, 2015
Competition: 2015 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship – Final
Venue: Estadio Francisco Morazan; San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Weather: 79 degrees; Clear

Scoring Summary: 1   2   F
USA                        0   1   1
CAN                         0   0   0

USA – Ashley Sanchez 72nd minute

Lineups:
USA: 1-Rosemary Chandler; 14-Taylor Otto, 2-Natalie Jacobs, 16-Emily Fox, 5-Tierna Davidson; 3-Mikaela Harvey, 17-Parker Roberts, 6-Savannah DeMelo (8-Ella Stevens, 92), 13-Ashley Sanchez (7-Marley Canales, 83); 15-Jessie Scarpa (11-Kelcie Hedge, 59), 10-Mallory Pugh (capt.)
Subs not used: 4-Sabrina Flores, 9-Jordan Harr, 12-Kiara Pickett, 17-Parker Roberts, 18-Brooke Heinsohn, 19-Shannon Horgan, 20-Zoe Redei
Head coach: Michelle French

CAN: 18-Lysianne Proulx; 15-Bianca St Georges, 20-Mika Richards, 2-Sura Yekka, 8-Emma Regan (13-Marike Saint-Pierre-Mousset, 76); 3-Ashley Moreira, 9-Sarah Stratigakis, 10-Sarah Kinzner (19-Alex Lamontagne, 46); 17-Shana Flynn (12-Victoria Pickett, 59), 6-Anyssa Ibrahim, 7-Taylor Pryce
Subs not used: 1-Rylee Foster, 16-Alexis Martel-Lamothe, 5-Sarah Feola, 4-Martina Loncar, 11-Vital Kats, 14-Camilla Shymka
Head coach: Daniel Worthington

Stats Summary: USA / CAN
Shots: 9 / 4
Shots on Goal: 4 / 2
Saves: 2 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 2
Fouls: 8 / 9
Offside: 2 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
USA-Savannah DeMelo (caution)                  57th minute

Officials:
Referee: Gillian Martindale (BRB)
Asst. Referee 1:
Asst. Referee 2:
4th Official:

ussoccer.com Woman of the Match: Ashley Sanchez